In a recent LinkedIn post, Colin Shaw discusses the pitfalls of implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions, emphasizing that a lack of customer-centricity can lead to automation of broken processes rather than genuine improvement. Shaw contrasts the rush to deploy AI for cost savings with the fundamental need to consider the customer experience.
Shaw opens by recounting a frustrating experience his daughter had with a travel insurance claim, where the insurer requested a document they themselves had provided. This anecdote serves as a springboard for his critique of many AI implementations. He states:
“That is exactly what worries me about so many AI implementations. AI doesn’t fix broken processes; it automates them at scale.”
The author argues that the primary motivation behind many AI rollouts appears to be speed and cost reduction, often neglecting the core question of what customer experience is being delivered. This, in Shaw’s view, stems from organizations failing to adopt a customer-centric lens during implementation.
The Perils of Speed Over Substance in AI Adoption
Colin Shaw draws a parallel between the current AI landscape and the early days of the internet. He observes a similar tendency where the speed of implementation overshadows the necessity of getting it right for the customer.
“I lived through the arrival of the web, and I’m watching the same movie again: speed of implementation winning over the RIGHT implementation,” Shaw writes. He reinforces this point by referencing Jeff Bezos’s philosophy at Amazon:
“We’re not competitor-obsessed, we’re customer-obsessed. We start with the customer, and we work backwards.”
Shaw underscores the significance of this customer-first approach, attributing Amazon’s monumental success to this very principle.
AWS and the Differentiator of Customer Obsession
Shaw’s post then shifts to his interest in Amazon Web Services (AWS) and their customer engagement platform, Amazon Connect. He notes that AWS’s pedigree for customer obsession, a trait that built Amazon into a multi-trillion dollar company, makes their offerings particularly compelling.
Key Features and Customer-Centric Design
He highlights several aspects of Amazon Connect that align with a customer-centric strategy, including proactivity, personalization, and breaking down silos – what he terms “the silent killer of CX.” Shaw is particularly impressed by:
- Autonomous Resolution: AI agents that can act across different systems, helping to dismantle organizational silos.
- Live Sync: The ability for customers to move seamlessly between voice and chat interactions without losing context, as the AI maintains full understanding.
However, Shaw emphasizes that it is the foundational customer obsession, deeply ingrained in AWS’s DNA from Amazon’s success, that serves as the most significant differentiator. As he concludes:
“But the BIG differentiator for me? Amazon built a $3 trillion company on the back of customer obsession, and AWS is the powerhouse behind it. Now THAT’s a differentiator, and working backwards from the customer, as Jeff Bezos said, is the key to a successful implementation.”
While acknowledging that this heritage alone doesn’t guarantee a contract, Shaw asserts that it earns AWS a place on his shortlist for consideration. He concludes by directing readers to learn more about the new product launch.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Colin Shaw on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on September 9, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →